Cyanotype as a Multicolour Printing Technique

This course will guide participants through the many printing steps of making multicoloured cyanotypes. Covering colour printing theories and the fundamentals of the nature of light, understanding wavelengths and what we see through the eye. 

This is a three-part, online workshop taking place over the following Sundays in November 2025: 16th, 23rd, 30th, November, 2-4pm (GMT).

Note about experience level:
A basic knowledge of cyanotype printing is recommended, but not necessary. Instructions will be provided on printing Cyanotypes ahead of the first session. If you are not familiar with making cyanotypes, this should be tested and practiced before the course starts. 

Tools:   
- Access to a computer or laptop.
- Access to printer for printing on acetate film (could be an inkjet printer at home or a local printers).
- A dark area for drying cyanotype materials.
- An area to hang prints to dry after washing.
- A clip frame/old photo frame/contact printing frame/sheet of glass and back board.
- UV light or UV exposure unit (if you do not have one, we recommend Everbeam LED UV Black Light Flood Light — 365nm). 
- Sponge or paint brush.
- Trays (photographic trays or old Tupperware containers).
- Access to a kettle OR microwave OR hot plate and cooking pot.

Materials:

- A selection of digital images.
- Cyanotype chemicals — Potassium Ferricyanide and Ammonium Ferric Citrate. 
- Access to water.
- Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) either 3% or 9%.
- Paper (we suggest durable papers such as watercolour paper or papers with a 50% rag content). 
- An old cloth/rag.
- Sodium Carbonate (washing soda/soda crystals).
- A selection of teas e.g. black tea, green tea, rooibos tea. Nothing fancy. 
- An apron/lab coat or old clothes.

Session 1 -  Transformations: Wavelengths to Visual Colour (16th Nov)

In this session, we will cover:
- Theory behind colour printing and why it works.
- Choosing an image.
- How to get from a colour image to black and white negatives.
- Preparation of your own images into negatives for printing.
- The individual layers.
- How and why we need to size paper.
- Where to source toning materials and how to prepare them.

Session 2 – Printing Colour/Duo Tone (23rd Nov)

In this session, we will cover:
- Putting the layers together and all the stages of making a duotone cyanotype. 
- Tips and tricks for getting a good result.
- What it means to print using natural toners. 
- What toning material works best and how to get the most from it.

 Session 3 – Moving into 3-Dimension (30th Nov)

In this session, we will:
- Review works made throughout the weeks and spend some time troubleshooting.  
- Discuss how to move this technique to the next level. 
- Cover the pros and cons of moving onto working with 3 colours. 
- Final Q&A and summary of the whole process. 


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For concessionary tickets, please email us. (sustainabledarkroom@gmail.com)